Best Delay Pedal with Expression (2026): 5 Picks Compared

Updated Nov 13, 2026 · By Jonah Mercer · Ranked from listed specifications · How we rank

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Buying through the Amazon links on this page costs you nothing extra. Full disclosure

The SONICAKE Delay & Modulation pedal leads this list as Best Overall: 1200ms of analog delay with tap tempo, true bypass and an expression pedal input. The Source Audio Nemesis follows with 26 delay engines and full MIDI, while the Strymon Brig adds 300 presets and stereo in and out. Every pick here takes an expression pedal, so the choice comes down to delay time, engines and presets.

The picks at a glance

#	Pick	Product
1	Best Overall	SONICAKE Delay & Modulation Guitar Pedal	Check on Amazon
2	Runner-Up	Source Audio Nemesis ADT Delay Pedal	Check on Amazon
3	Also Great	Strymon Brig Multi-voice dBucket Delay Pedal	Check on Amazon
4	Also Great	Electro-Harmonix Memory Boy Analog Delay with Chorus	Check on Amazon
5	Also Great	Eventide MicroPitch Delay Pedal	Check on Amazon

Which one should you buy?

Players who want tap tempo and expression control on one pedal: SONICAKE Delay & Modulation Guitar Pedal See pick 1More picks: Best Delay Pedal with Tap
Players who want 26 delay engines in one pedal: Source Audio Nemesis ADT Delay Pedal See pick 2
Players who want 300 presets on a delay pedal: Strymon Brig Multi-voice dBucket Delay Pedal See pick 3
Players who want chorus and vibrato with analog delay: Electro-Harmonix Memory Boy Analog Delay with Chorus See pick 4More picks: Best Analog Delay Pedal
Players who want delay and pitch effects in one pedal: Eventide MicroPitch Delay Pedal See pick 5

Want the full range? Best Delay Pedal ranks the top delay pedals for every buyer, or browse all 20 guides.

The 5 picks, ranked

1Best Overall

SONICAKE Delay & Modulation Guitar Pedal

Max delay time: 1200 ms
Tap tempo
True bypass
Stereo in/out not stated in the listing
1-year warranty stated

9.8Spec score View on Amazon

Best Overall with 1200ms of analog delay, tap tempo, true bypass, a dry signal output and expression pedal support.

Who it suits

Players who want tap tempo and expression control on one pedal
Guitarists and bassists who want chorus and vibrato with delay

Skip it if

You need a delay longer than 1200 ms
You want a power supply in the box

It runs on 9V center negative power, which is not included. The pedal has a dedicated dry signal output, a TAP footswitch with 3 note value settings, and a TRS jack for an external expression pedal. Four MN3005 BBD chips give a maximum delay time of 1200ms, and the housing is lightweight yet durable metal.

2Runner-Up

Source Audio Nemesis ADT Delay Pedal

Max delay time not stated in the listing
Tap tempo
Stereo in/out
1-year warranty stated

9.7Spec score View on Amazon

Runner-Up with 26 delay engines, true stereo in and out, tap tempo, expression control and full MIDI.

Who it suits

Players who want 26 delay engines in one pedal
Players who want stereo delay with full MIDI

Skip it if

You want a simple analog delay with one engine
You want a pedal without MIDI

It holds 26 delay engines, from vintage tape and analog tones to pitch-shifting, reverse, filtered and rhythmic delays. Analog Dry Through keeps the dry signal on a dedicated analog path, and true stereo in and out, tap tempo, hold, expression control and full MIDI. Deep Neuro editing rounds out the pedal.

3Also Great

Strymon Brig Multi-voice dBucket Delay Pedal

Max delay time not stated in the listing
Tap tempo
Stereo in/out
2-year warranty stated

9.5Spec score View on Amazon

Also Great with 3 bucket brigade voices, an expression pedal input, 300 presets, modulation and tap tempo.

Who it suits

Players who want 300 presets on a delay pedal
Players who want stereo delay with 3 voices

Skip it if

You need more than 300 presets
You want an analog delay circuit

It is a stereo digital delay pedal with 3 bucket brigade voices, an expression pedal input, 300 presets, modulation and tap tempo. It carries a 2-year warranty and weighs 0.8 lb.

4Also Great

Electro-Harmonix Memory Boy Analog Delay with Chorus

Max delay time: 550 ms
Tap tempo not stated in the listing
Stereo in/out not stated in the listing
1-year warranty stated

9.0Spec score View on Amazon

Also Great with up to 550 ms of analog delay, chorus and vibrato, and expression pedal control of delay time.

Who it suits

Players who want chorus and vibrato with analog delay
Players who want expression control of delay time

Skip it if

You need more than 550 ms of delay time
You want chorus and vibrato at the same time

It gives up to 550 ms of delay time with selectable chorus or vibrato, and a choice of triangle or square modulation waveforms. An expression pedal controls delay time or modulation rate, and extends the range of modulation rate. A power adapter is included, and it carries a 1-year warranty.

5Also Great

Eventide MicroPitch Delay Pedal

Max delay time not stated in the listing
Tap tempo not stated in the listing
2-year warranty stated

9.0Spec score View on Amazon

Also Great with an expression pedal input, instrument and line level input, and 4 bypass options.

Who it suits

Players who want delay and pitch effects in one pedal
Players who want an expression pedal input

Skip it if

You want delay without pitch effects
You want fewer than 4 bypass options

It is a delay and pitch effects pedal with an instrument and line level input, a latching or momentary footswitch, and an expression pedal input. It offers 4 bypass options and carries a 2-year warranty, and it weighs 1.8 lb.

Side by side

Product	Max delay time	Tap tempo	True bypass	Stereo in/out	Weight	Warranty
SONICAKE Delay & Modulation Guitar Pedal	1200 ms	Yes	Yes	Not stated	1 lb	1-year
Source Audio Nemesis ADT Delay Pedal	Not stated	Yes	Not stated	Yes	Not stated	1-year
Strymon Brig Multi-voice dBucket Delay Pedal	Not stated	Yes	Not stated	Yes	0.8 lb	2-year
Electro-Harmonix Memory Boy Analog Delay with Chorus	550 ms	Not stated	Not stated	Not stated	1.2 lb	1-year
Eventide MicroPitch Delay Pedal	Not stated	Not stated	Not stated	Not stated	1.8 lb	2-year

How we ranked these delay pedals

Every pick ranks in Amazon's best-seller list for its category and has a listing with real specifications. The order mixes two things: how each model compares on the specs below (higher share of the best value in this group scores more), and how widely it is bought. The spec score runs from 9.0 to 9.8 and only compares these picks with each other. A spec the listing does not state is left out and the other specs are re-weighted; a listing with fewer than 2 stated specs is scored at half. We do not test gear in person. Full method.

Max delay time weight 2
Tap tempo weight 1
True bypass weight 1
Stereo in/out weight 1

Buying advice: delay pedal with expression

Match the expression input to your pedal

Expression control is the point of this search, so check how each pedal takes it. The SONICAKE takes an external expression pedal through a TRS jack, the Nemesis has expression control with full MIDI, and the Brig, Memory Boy and MicroPitch each have an expression pedal input. On the Memory Boy the expression pedal controls delay time or modulation rate, so decide which one you want to move with your foot before you buy.

Compare delay time and delay voices

Delay time sets how far apart the repeats fall, and the voices set what the repeats sound like. The SONICAKE reaches 1200ms and the Memory Boy reaches 550ms, so the SONICAKE gives longer repeats. The Nemesis holds 26 delay engines and the Brig holds 3 bucket brigade voices, so the Nemesis and Brig give more delay types than the Memory Boy, which is an analog delay with chorus or vibrato.

Check tap tempo and stereo before you buy

Tap tempo lets you set the delay time with your foot, and stereo in and out lets the repeats move across the outputs. The SONICAKE, Nemesis and Brig have tap tempo, and the Nemesis and Brig have stereo in and out. If you run a stereo rig, the Nemesis or Brig fits; if you run one amp, tap tempo alone may decide it.

Frequently asked questions

Do all of these delay pedals take an expression pedal?

Yes. The SONICAKE takes an external expression pedal through a TRS jack, and the Nemesis, Brig, Memory Boy and MicroPitch each have an expression pedal input. On the Memory Boy the expression pedal controls delay time or modulation rate.

What does true bypass mean on a delay pedal?

True bypass means the pedal passes the signal untouched when the effect is off. The SONICAKE has a true bypass circuit, so the dry signal keeps its tone with the pedal off.

How many presets does the Strymon Brig have?

The Brig has 300 presets. If you want to store settings and recall them, the Brig is the pick.

Do I need a power supply for the SONICAKE pedal?

Yes. The SONICAKE works with 9V center negative pedal power, and the power supply is not included. The Memory Boy is the pick here that comes with a power adapter in the box.